Cash ban: Cong leader draws parallels between 9/11 and 8/11

Drawing parallels between the 9/11 terror strike in the US and the Centre’s November 8 recall of two banknotes, Congress leader Mohan Prakash on Friday said Indians will face adverse consequences of demonetisation for a long time like Americans did after the attack on World Trade Center.

Drawing parallels between the 9/11 terror strike in the US and the Centre’s November 8 recall of two banknotes, Congress leader Mohan Prakash on Friday said Indians will face adverse consequences of demonetisation for a long time like Americans did after the attack on World Trade Center.

“The 9/11 was carried out by a terror group in the US in 2001, while 8/11 (demonetisation) was carried out by India’s elected leader Narenda Modi. Both the happenings will have adverse consequences for the people in the respective countries for a long time,” said Prakash, who is AICC in-charge of Congress’ Madhya Pradesh unit.

He said demonetisation has dented the image of the state of economy and the Reserve Bank of India besides triggering cash crisis. “It has badly hit lives of people belonging to middle class and daily wage earning class,” said the Congress national general secretary.

The central government has come under opposition attack for its move to recall old ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes but it has repeatedly defended itself, saying the decision was necessary to stamp out unaccounted money and counterfeit currency.

The Congress leader said his party would hold nationwide demonstrations on January 6, which will be followed by “thaali bajao” (pounding of plates) demonstration by youth and women Congress activists all across the country on January 8.

Maintaining that demonetisation lacks a clear direction, he said the policy began with attack on black money, terror and Naxalism, then turned into 50:50 black money deposits initiative before changing into a call for cashless economy.

“No law in the country can force anyone to go for cashless mode and stop people from withdrawing their money from banks,” he said.

Besides, Prakash claimed that Modi’s repeated thrust for making India a cashless economy was the result of “pressure by US agencies to ensure that credit and debit cards of American companies become a necessity of every person in India”.

Taking a dig at BJP’s parental outfit the RSS, Prakash asked will the enforcement directorate question the man who bought Modi’s monogrammed suit for ₹4 crore in February 2015. “Does RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has the courage to tell the country that gupt-daan (secret donation) given to the Sangh is black or white money.”